We are back again with a look at what’s arriving in comic shops, bookstores and on digital this week. And it’s a very packed week, for both comics and graphic novels.
If you’re wondering what to get this week, check out a few recommendations below. You can check out Comic List to see what’s arriving in your local shop, and the comiXology new releases page for what’s available digitally.
Bad Karma #3
Alex de Campi, Ryan Howe and Dee Cunniffe return for a third issue of their digital series Bad Karma, which de Campi spoke to Alex Dueben about a few months back. It’s a comic that grew out of her Hell’s Kitchen Movie Club comics, which featured the Punisher and the Winter Soldier hanging out and watching movies. Here’s the description of issue #3:
After last issue’s events, Sully and Ethan need to get out of jail and save Aaron Carter, who’s only got two days left to live. But the one person they can call for help is going to be the one person who’s going to make the situation a whole lot worse… and the boys are suddenly no longer annoyances. They’re targets.
De Campi has taken some of the original themes from those strips and really gone to town with them. The first two issues are also still available for download. [Panel Syndicate, pay what you want, available today]
Detective #1027
DC celebrates the 1,000th issue since Batman’s debut in Detective #27 with an extra-large helping of Batman stories, a la the anniversary specials they’ve been doing over the last year or so for various characters. This anthology features the likes of Matt Fraction, Tom King, Brian Michael Bendis, Greg Rucka, Eduardo Risso, Scott Snyder, Chip Zdarsky and many others, including a new Batman story by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham, which you can see a preview of here. [DC, $9.99, in comic stores today].
Edgeworld #1
Chuck Austen returns to comics this week with a new collaboration with artist Patrick Olliffe — Edgeworld, a five-issue western/science fiction mash-up. You can read more about it here. [comiXology Originals, $2.99, only on comiXology today]
Immortal Hulk #0
Immortal Hulk has connected with both critics and fans, as Al Ewing and Joe Bennett have offered a new take on an old favorite. That new take does have its roots in past Hulk comics, and this week Marvel reprints two of them: Incredible Hulk -1 by Peter David and Adam Kubert, and Incredible Hulk #312 by Bill Mantlo and Mike Mignola. It also includes a new story by Ewing and Bennett. [Marvel, $4.99, in comic stores Sept. 16]
Iron Man #1
Following Dan Slott’s run on the title, Christopher Cantwell steps in to chronicle the next chapter in Tony Stark’s life, as he returns to the armor and tries to “restart his engine.” Cantwell is joined by artist CAFU, with a cover by Alex Ross. [Marvel, $4.99, in comic stores Sept. 16]
Stillwater #1
Chip Zdarsky and Ramon Perez team up on a new horror title for Skybound. The description is fairly short and to the point: In the town of Stillwater, nobody dies. That’s not just a promise. It’s a threat. Sound ominous … [Image/Skybound, $3.99, in comic stores Sept. 16]
Marvels SnapshotS: X-Men #1
The previous Marvels Snapshots comics have been excellent and were very well-received by the Smash Page crew. These are one-shots in the vein of the popular and influential miniseries Marvels by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross, and Busiek has actually been curating these single issue stories. This one features the writing of former editor/current X-Men podcaster Jay Edidin, with art by Tom Reilly and Chris O’Halloran, and it spotlights the foundation of any good X-Men team, Cyclops. [Marvel, $4.99, in comic shops Sept. 15]
Heavy #1
Heavy is a new comic from Say Anything frontman-turned-comics writer Max Bemis, who teams with Eryk Donovan, Cris Peter and Taylor Esposito for a new comic about Bill, a hitman stuck in purgatory, who is forced to work off his “debt” by doing hitman things to bad guys. The story starts when Bill gets a new partner. [Vault Comics, $3.99, In comic stores Sept. 16]
Tales from the Umbrella Academy: You Look Like Death #1
My favorite characters from the Umbrella Academy — the TV show version, anyway — gets his own spinoff miniseries courtesy of Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, INJ Culbard and Nate Piekos. This is a story from Klaus’ past, as he gets kicked out of the Umbrella Academy and heads to Hollywood and meets a vampire drug lord. [Dark Horse, $3.99, in comic stores Sept. 16]
Guantanamo Voices
Sarah Mirk wrote/curated this anthology of stories coming out of Guantanamo, the infamous prison run by the United States government. Mirk spoke with former prisoners, lawyers, social workers and service members, then worked with 10 artists to illustrate the stories they told her, including Nomi Kane, Hazel Newlevant, Omar Khouri and more. You can check out Alex Dueben’s interview with Mirk for more information. [Abrams, $24.99, in comic shops Sept. 16, in bookstores now]
Slaughter-House Five
Turning a beloved book or classic novel into a graphic novel can be hit or miss; a lot of times it depends not only on picking the right creative team, but also giving them the freedom to turn their adaptation into their own thing. The preview pages by Ryan North and Albert Monteys give me a LOT of hope for this adaptation of what’s arguably Kurt Vonnegut’s most famous novel. [BOOM!/Archaia, $24.99, In bookstores now, in comic shops Sept. 16]
The Mueller Report: Graphic Novel
Speaking of adaptations, the creator of Shit My President Says, Shannon Wheeler, teams up with journalist Steve Duin to turn the Mueller Report into a graphic novel. I know graphic novels like this need a lot of lead time, but my fear is that maybe this has past its expiration date at this point, given everything that’s happened in the world since the original Mueller Report was released. But never count Wheeler out; I’m sure this will be as entertaining as his other projects that have covered the Trump presidency. I also like that this is listed under the “horror” genre on comiXology. [IDW, $15.99, in bookstores now, in comic shops Sept. 16]
Post-Apocalypto: The Graphic Novel
I didn’t want to end with anything Trump related, so let’s talk about Tenacious D instead. The band, made up of Jack Black and Kyle Gass, has written and drawn their own graphic novel, Post-Apocalypto, which ties into the movie and album of the same name. In it, they save the world. ‘Nuff said. [Fantagraphics, $29.99, in bookstores today, in comic shops tomorrow]